Cigar lighter



Aug. 16, 19380 P. E. ASHTON 2,126,710

CIGAR LIGHTER Filed Oct. 8, 1954 2a a a? 5/ 1i 53 30 2a 1 24 L j if 29:,2f l 21 NVENTOR Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEApplication October 8,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to lighters for cigars and the like and has forits main object to provide a simple, inexpensive and yet reliableconstruction capable of being easily and conveniently handled, repairedand cleaned.

Referring to the drawing Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through apreferred embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of the device of Fig. 1 in the circuit closingposition, with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1 with the plug removed.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, of a modified form ofthe invention.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1 before the socket and plughave been secured to the instrument board.

The socket II is adapted to be secured to the dashboard or instrumentboard of an automobile in some suitable manner and one such way ofsecuring the socket has been shown in Figs. 1 and 4,

It will be noted the socket is provided with stamped up lugs M whichengage the plate I3, the plate being provided with bent portions l5 asshown in Figs. 4 and 5 for cooperation with the rear face of thedashboard l0. These bent legs are shown in Fig. 5 as being spaced aboutapart and spaced about the same distance is the screw 15a in threadedengagement with the plate l3. On tightening the screw the plate I3 isheld against the lugs [4 which in turn hold the socket in position bypressing the front flange I6 of the socket against the front face of thedashboard Ill. The socket is secured at its rear to the perforatedmember l2 through which passes the central conductor lead I1, the socketI l constituting the other terminal and being grounded. The electricconductor ll leads from the battery or other source of current to theterminal ll illustrated Within the insulating disc I8 and the flexiblehelical spring conductor I9 carries the current from the supply lead ITto the movable central contact 20. A coil spring 2| cooperates with thedisc "3 and the slide or insulating disc 22 urging the contact 20outwardly or toward the front of the socket. This contact is cup-likeand has a flaring flange to receive the plug terminal.

Stamped-out lugs 23 integral with the socket are bent inwardly an amountsufficient to engage the insulating disc or wall 22 for holding thespring 2| under compression and the central contact 2|] in its normalposition. There are generally three such lugs 23 spaced equidistantlycircumferentially.

The plug which is adapted for reception within 1934, Serial No. 747,376

the socket comprises a body 24 of insulating material such as a phenoliccondensation product or other suitable electrical and thermal insulatingmaterial. The heating or lighting element 25 which is brought toincandesence when placed in the circuit, is preferably of the spiralform, one end of the resistance strip being connected to a flange of thesupport terminal 26 which engages the central cup-shaped terminal 26 asillustrated.

Great difficulty has been experienced with this part of the device withrespectto the connection between the heater strip and its support. Owingto the repeated expansion and contraction of the parts they are likelyto become separated and burned out due to poor connection. I have solvedthis difiiculty after many experiments by the expedient of electricallywelding the strip to a flange of the cup-like support 26 thus forming aperfect and permanent electrical connection.

The other end of the resistance element 25 is riveted or welded to thecentral stud 21 from whence the current then passes to the metal spidermember 28 having engagement with the plug body by means of the screwthreads 29. The support terminal 26 is insulated from but secured to thespider 28 by the same stud 21.

To assist in frictionally retaining the plug in the socket a pin or bolt30 extends radially from the central bore or recess through the outersurface of the plug for engagement with the inner surface of the socket,the pin being pressed outwardly by means of the leaf spring 3|. Thisleaf spring is substantially semi-circular and sprung into the recess inthe plug to hold it in place. The cupshaped members 26 and 28 may beperforated if desired so as to provide ventilation and also permit lightto shine through. The outer end of the plug bore may be closed by apiece of colored glass or other translucent material 32 if desired.Friction fingers or any other recognized equivalent means for retaininga plug within a socket may be substituted for the pin 30.

From the drawing it will be seen that the metal member 28 does notextend radially outward far enough to engage the socket but terminatesinwardly of the outer surface of the plug in order that it may benormally out of contact with the socket. The member 28 has a terminalflange 33 and the socket is provided with several inwardly bent integrallugs 34 which constitutes contact abutments for the flange 33 forlimiting the inward movement of the plug and also constitute a means ofconnecting or grounding the member 28 to the socket when the plug ispushed in the full amount as shown in Fig. 2.

When the flange 33 engages the lugs 34 the circuit is closed.

In operation the plug is normally maintained in the position illustratedin Fig. 1 with the ungrounded side of the line normally in contactthrough the parts and 26, the circuit being open on the grounded side ofthe heater. The friction of the button or pin 30 against the socket or afriction finger against the plug assists in maintaining the plug in thenormal position illustrated by Fig, 1.

When the plug is pushed inwardly the central contact 20 together withthe insulating discs .22 and 22a on which it is mounted, is movedinwardly against the action of the spring 2| until the flange 33 engagesthe contacting surface 34 to close the circuit and limit the compressionput on the spring 2| as shown in *Fig. 2.

The resistance element is electrically connected and being heated whenthe parts are in the position shown by Fig. 2. The time required for thecoil 25 to be heated sufficiently to light the cigar is not great andordinarily the user can approximate the period of time necessary withlittle efifort. The heating coil may be sufliciently luminous totransmit a noticeable amount of light through the bore of the plug. Whenthe heater has reached its desired state the plug is removed and usedfor lighting a cigarette, cigar or pipe.

It will be understood that in order to keep the heater electricallyconnected it is necessary to apply pressure to maintain the plug pressedinwardly far enough for the circuit to be closed. If pressure isreleased the spring 2| opens the circuit between the contacts 33 and 34.

In the embodiment shown by Fig. 4 the flexible connection l9 has beeneliminated and a switch placed in the socket, the central rivet 35 whichholds the center contact 20 to the insulating discs 22 and 22aconstituting one element of the switch, while the cooperating switchmember 36 is a spring blade of the shape illustrated, the same beingheld in contact with the terminal of the conductor On pushing the pluginwardly this socketswitch closes by the engagement of the elements 35and 36, in advance of the closing of the ground connection between thecontacts 33 and '34 so that both sides of the line are disconnected'from the plug and its heater when in normal unpressed position. In bothembodiments a peripheral groove 31 is arranged on the outer end portionof the plug to provide an appropriate finger grip for the plug.

Among the advantages of this invention may be mentioned its simplicityof construction, its ruggedness and ease with which parts may bereplaced and cleaned. In the event the heater element burns out it isonly necessary to unscrew the supporting member 28 from the insulatingblock and insert a new unit assembly in place of the old.

The rim portions of the members 26 and 28 are supported by only narrowspokes which allow light and heat to pass through the bore of the plug.The insulating material illustrated as being clamped between the parts26 and 28 may be mica or even more transparent or translucent insulatingmaterial and may be cut out leaving narrow spokes toregister with thespokes of members 26 and 28.

Both of the plug terminals 26 and 33 may be kept clean almostautomatically since a rotation of the plug when in the position shown byFig. 2 causes the cooperating stationary contacts 20 and 34 to rubagainst the plug contacts and assist in keeping them free of any burnedportions.

The circuit is opened and closed between the ground contacts 33 and 34in both Figs. 1 and 4. In the embodiment shown in Fig. l the plug isnormally in position in which the heater element is entirelydisconnected from both sides of the line, or in other words, is in a twopole open circuit position.

7 As shown in the drawing the socket II is provided with severalperforations around the spring 2| whereby this spring is kept cooled byconvection currents, should it become heated. The spring 2| is alsoshielded by the insulating discs 22 and 22a from heat transfer from theelement 25 by both conduction and radiation and it will also beunderstood that the spring 2| is not in the electrical circuit.

The ,plug being substantially entirely of insulatin: material is keptcool so that there is no danger of a users fingers becoming burned intaking hold of the plug at the peripheral groove 31.

The spring 3| for the retaining pin 3|) is shaped so as not to impedetransmission of any light through the plug bore. While the plug andsocket are shaped to allow the plug to be inserted in any angularposition, it will nevertheless be understood that the socket may or maynot be provided with one or more indented portions adapted to receivethe end of the pin 30 for more securely holding the plug in its normalopen circuit position. The opening and closing of the circuit by buttcontacts 33 and 34 does away with the necessity of having anysubstantial portion of the plug longitudinally of metal.

Instead of the flexible connection I9, some type of expansibleconnection containing an internal spring such as has been used in thelamp socket and other arts may be used to connect the portions nowjoined by the conductor I9. The conductor I9 need not be of springmaterial as long as the spring 2| is present. When the spring 2| is madeof slightly smaller diameter so as not to be in danger of contactingwith the grounded socket, then the spring 2| may be secured to theterminals in the insulating discs l8 and 22 and carry the currentinstead of the conductor l9 so that only one spring maybe used forcarrying the current and for pressing the disc 22 into engagement withthe abutments 23.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 4, however, requires that the spring 2|shall not carry current inasmuch as the switch parts 35 and 36 interruptthe circuit. These switch parts 35 and 36 close before the circuit isclosed through the connections 33 and 34 on pushing in the plug andconversely the switch parts 35 and 36 open after the circuit has beenbroken through the contacts 33 and 34. The switch part 36 beingyieldably mounted constitutes a wiping contact as it cooperates with theswitch part 35 in opening and closing.

The eyelet or ferrule 38 for retaining the lens or glass 32 in positionmay be made in one piece, or in two pieces as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Other conventional and Well known means for retaining a socket inposition on an instrument board or dashboard, may be used in place ofthe plate l3, such as U-shaped brackets as are used for holding clocks,speedometers, etc.

The handle portion 31 of the plug may be of metal threaded or otherwisesecured to the insulating portion of the plug, or the insulation betweensuch a metal handle and the metal member 28 may be thin like a washer,inasmuch as the insulation should electrically insulate the contact 33from the socket and also thermally insulate the handle portion from theheater end of the plug.

The colored glass 32 is often more ornamental than useful for a varietyof reasons! among which may be mentioned the fact that the operatorgenerally holds the plug between his middle finger and forefinger, bothof which fingers engage the groove 31, with his thumb placed over theglass 32 during the time he holds the plug both in and out of thesocket.

Both the springs l9 and 2| might be eliminated by having the centercontact 2|] mounted directly on the insulating disc 18 with itsforwardly extending cup-like sides split to be resilient and arrangedmuch longer yet with the desired taper where they engage the terminal26. In this last event center contact 2!] would still be in engagementwith the terminal 26 both normally and when the circuit is closed, theresiliency of the long split sides of the central contact 2!), thentaking care of the necessary yield as the terminal 25 is moved inwardlyalong the sloping outer portions of the terminal 2c.

Heretofore in the art of electric cigar lighters the outer end of thespiral resistance wire has been secured to the surrounding flange of theholder or cup-like member by riveting, or by clamping the end of thewire between spun portions of the rim or flange, this rim being made inmore than one part. Due to the heat generated solder is not practicable.The rivet type of connection has been found by years of experience to beunsatisfactory because the resist ance wire is weakened by theperforation necessary for the rivet and may break off adjacent saidperforation due to vibrations of the automobile or other object in whichit is mounted.

Experience has also shown that vibrations and expansion tend to looseneither the rivet or the spun clamping portions holding the outer end ofthe resistance wire with the result that heat is generated in this wireand the resistance increased, which condition is objectionable becauseit provides heating where it is not desirable or useful and also becausesuch increase in resistance cuts down current flow through theresistance coil and therefore cuts down the effective heating of suchcoil.

After long experimentation it has been found possible to molecularly orintegrally unite the outer end of the resistance wire to the surroundingflange of the cup member by welding a small portion of the resistancewire and cup rim.

So far as I am aware I have been the first to eliminate thedisadvantages of jar which caused increased resistance in the connectionbetween the wire and rim, during the more than quarter of a century thatcigar lighters have been carried in automobiles.

I claim:

1. A lighter for cigars and the like comprising in combination a metalsocket, a central contact insulated from the socket, a spring tending tomove said contact forwardly, said socket having an inward projection tolimit forward movement of said contact, a plug, a resistance elementcarried by the plug and adapted to be brought to incandescence, contactson the plug one of which is adapted to normally engage the centralcontact of the socket, the other plug contact being adapted to engage aninward projection on the socket only when the plug is pressed inwardagainst the action of said spring, said projection on the socket engagedby said other plug contact limiting the inward movement of the plug andthe compression of said spring.

2. A lighter for cigars and the like comprising in combination a metalsocket, a plug for cooperation with said socket, a central contactinsulatedfrom the socket, a spring tending to move said'contactforwardly, said socket having an inward projection to limit forwardmovement of said contact, a resistance element carried by the plug andadapted to be brought to incandescence, contacts on the plug one ofwhich is adapted to normally engage the central contact of the socket,the other plug contact being adapted to engage an inward projection onthe socket only when the plug is pressed inward against the action ofsaid spring, said inward projection on the socket engaged by the otherplug contact limiting the inward movement of the plug and thecompression of said spring and a switch enclosed by said spring andbetween said central socket contact and a connecting lead to the socket.

3. A lighter for cigars and the like comprising in combination a metalsocket, a central contact insulated from the socket, a spring tending tomove said contact forwardly, said socket having a projection to limitforward movement of said contact, a plug, a resistance element carriedby the plug and adapted to be brought to incandescence, contacts on theplug one of which is adapted to normally engage the central contact ofthe socket, the other plug contact being adapted to engage a bent inprojection on the socket only when the plug is pressed inward againstthe action. of said spring, said bent in projection on the socketengaged by the other plug contact limiting the inward movement of theplug and the compression of said spring, a button laterally extendingthrough the plug for engagement with the socket wall in any positionthereof, an armate spring pressing said button outwardly, said plughaving a longitudinal passage, the major portion of the walls of saidpassage being of insulating material.

4. A lighter mounting socket comprising a central contact, a springbetween the base of the socket and said contact, a flexible connectionpermanently joining the central contact with an incoming conductor, anda disc of insulating material between said spring and central contact,inwardly bent tongues on said socket engaging said insulating disc tolimit outward movement of the central contact.

5. A lighter for cigars and the like comprising in combination a socket,a removable plug slidable within said socket, a heater carried on therear or inner end portion of said plug, an electrically conductive rimaround said heater, a contact insulated from said socket and adapted forengagement with the heater rim, a transverse insulating disc contiguousand slidable along the inner surface of said socket intermediate itsends and on which said socket contact is mounted, a spring in back ofand cooperating with said disc and socket and tending to move the discforwardly, means on the socket periphery for limiting forward or outwardmovement of said disc and its contact, a switch part carried on theinner or rear face of said sliding disc, a cooperative relativelystationary switch part carried by the base portion of said socket, atleast one of said switch parts being yieldable, and means in addition tosaid switch for limiting inward movement of said plug after theyieldable switch part and its oooperative switch part have been engaged,an insulated conducting lead connected to the switch part carried by thebase portion of the socket, a conductor ring carried by the rear endportion of the plug but in front of and insulated from said heater rim,said ring being electrically connected to the socket at least while saidswitch Parts are in closed circuit relation and said heater is beingelectrically heated, said socket and slidable insulating disc beingeffective to shield the socket in rear of said disc against thetransmission of heat from the plug heater by either conduction,radiation or convection.

6. A lighter comprising a socket, a removable plug slidable in thesocket and carrying an igniter on its inner end, a socket contactengaging said igniter, a disc slidable along the inside of the socketand carrying said socket contact, a spring cooperating with said discand the base of said socket for urging the disc outwardly, a switch inback of said disc, at least one of the switch parts being yieldable,means in addition to said switch for limiting outward movement of saiddisc and for limiting inward movement of said plug after closure of theswitch in rear of said disc, said disc including insulating materialextending substantially entirely across the socket to shield the socketin rear of said disc from the transmission of heat of the igniter, saidsocket being provided with openings in rear of said disc to facilitatethe passage of cooling currents of air therethrough.

7. A lighter comprising a socket, a removable plug slidable in thesocket and carrying an igniter on its inner end, a socket contactengaging said igniter, a disc slidable along the inside of the socketand carrying said socket contact, a spring cooperating with said discand the base of said socket for urging the disc outwardly, a switch inback of said disc at least one of whose parts is yieldable, means inaddition to said switch for limiting outward movement of said disc andfor limiting inward movement of said plug after closure of the switch inrear of said wall, and another switch in front of said disc one of whoseparts is a ring on the rear of the plug and the other of whose parts isa stamped in portion of the socket, said last mentioned switch beingclosed only after the first mentioned switch in rear of said disc hasbeen closed.

8. A cigar lighter comprising a socket, a removable plug carrying anigniter on the inner end thereof, a contact with a rim around saidigniter, a socket contact for yieldable engagement with said rim, atransverse disc slidable along the inner wall of said socket andcarrying said socket contact, a spring cooperating with said disc andsocket for urging the disc outwardly, a stop for limiting inwardmovement of said plug, and a ground connection between said plug andsocket in front of said igniter and adapted to be cleaned on rotation ofsaid plug, said ground connection constituting said stop for limitinginward movement of said plug.

PHILIP E. ASHTON.

